Postcard from the Field: Thailand – John Cole McGee ’26

May 29, 2024

Name: John Cole McGee
Major: Environmental Science
Expected graduation date: May 2026
Hometown: Blacksburg, VA

Why did you want to go to the Thailand Field Site?
I always pictured studying abroad as part of my college experience, but for a while, it seemed too much to go through a semester without taking major-based classes. The Thailand Field Site became the perfect option as I can study in a beautiful and unique country while getting practical credit and working on my capstone.

What specifically did you do in Thailand?

My capstone research is titled: Moving Towards a Sustainable End-of-Life Management of Crystalline Silicon Solar Panels: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment for Thailand. We compared common disposal techniques of solar panels currently seen in Thailand with a common recycling technique outside of Thailand by analyzing a variety of midpoint indicators such as global warming potential, human toxicity, water consumption, land use, and mineral and fossil resource scarcity.

I’ve been spending most of my weekends exploring Thailand, from as far north as Pai, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai to as far south as Krabi. To take advantage of my time here, I’ve spent over 200 hours on various overnight forms of transportation—like sleeper trains, buses and boats. During my long weekends, I can explore the location and work on my capstone research project in some beautiful and inspiring hostels. I’ve driven motorcycles through Vietnam, scuba-dived with dozens of reef sharks, and rock-climbed beside the ocean on probably one of the most unique rock walls in the world.

What has been the most impactful experience you’ve had while in Thailand?
When I first arrived, simple things like finding places to eat, ordering, and getting around were complicated and frustrating. None of these things are even remotely hard anymore. Although it hasn’t been the most exciting experience I’ve had here, the first few weeks taught me a lot about perseverance.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve taken away from your experience in Thailand?
The Thai culture is one of kindness and forgiveness. I have yet to see anyone get worked up over minor inconveniences and accidents, and Thai people always seem ready and happy to help. During my first trip out of Bangkok I found myself without a way to get home. After asking around in a broken Thai-English mix, someone offered to let me ride in the back of his pickup truck and took me back to my apartment.

Do you have any advice for other students who are considering going to the Thailand Field Site?
Don’t talk yourself out of the adventure. The length of time abroad in such a foreign country seems scary (this isn’t Europe), so don’t think too deeply about it to talk yourself out. If you are looking for a life-changing experience, this is probably one of the best programs at UNC for you (I may be biased). There are very few reasons (especially for an environmental science major) not to go, and there are some fantastic opportunities like the Phillips Ambassador program that can help in a multitude of ways and make you feel more prepared and comfortable with the idea of studying abroad in Asia. The great news is several students will have just participated in this field site program, who you can easily track down if you have any questions.